Fairhaven shop staff knows all about toys

FAIRHAVEN — There may be some (friendly) competition when it comes to SouthCoast kids' best Christmas toys.

JONATHAN CARVALHO

FAIRHAVEN — There may be some (friendly) competition when it comes to SouthCoast kids' best Christmas toys.

While sales clerk Sally Ribeiro says the Village Toy Shop can't always compete with the same inventory of big box toy stores, the store might be a good match for that famed toymaker from the North Pole.

Ribeiro, who along with Caroline Britto serve as a main salespersons at the store, says she tries instead to compete not with the same toys as the big box stores — but rather by carving out a unique niche.

"We try to be different than the box stores, and focus on some educational toys and quality toys instead of everything you might see in commercials," Ribeiro says of the store, which is owned by Kathy Morgan and her daughter, Jessica Kelly.

"We have things like pogo sticks and stilts, all metal rather than plastic, as well as jump ropes made of real rope instead of plastic, and metal jacks," says Ribeiro.

But the shop keeps up with the trends.

Brands like Lego, Playmobil and Zoob abound, and old standbys like erector sets are available, too.

Ribeiro says choosing the inventory is something she can help with because of her own firsthand knowledge: she's a grandmother of seven, ranging in age from one to 10 years old.

Between their play rooms, she says, she's been able to figure out what works and what doesn't, and can advise customers on what's cool and what's out of style.

Right now, the Calico Critters are selling quite well. They are anthropomorphic animal dolls, with various animal species as families, who inhabit dollhouses — and they're especially popular with young girls, says Ribeiro.

The store has also expanded its section for babies: blankets, swaddlers, and baby clothes can be found in great quantity.

Classic Fisher-Price items, a large selection of arts and crafts projects like finger-painting and easels, and board games are also still in demand in the modern toy market, and are all in stock at the Village Toy Shop.